Chapter 15 – Until Next Time
"Next time you want to ask me something…don't…that is until you grow up."
Hamitsu had her eyes fixated on the blue lenses of the tall man's sunglasses. The words flooding back to heavily, her as if a bag of rice had been dumped onto her soul.
They both stood still as praying mantises.
"Kuroji," Shibi whispered in silent insect language, "What is the matter?"
In contrast to Shibi's unknowing of the situation, Ichi and Ano instantly recognized the tall figure, and stayed silent, watching carefully to see what they would do. It seemed like an eternity. The stillness eventually became too heavy to bear, and finally Hamitsu broke it. She walked forward, carefully but unafraid, not looking away from his eyes, until she was right in front of him. Ano and Ichi went with her, but kept a bit behind her.
She licked her lips with concentration, "Would you care to walk with me?"
Kuroji tilted his head back, surprised. Shibi looked up at him again, now getting an idea of who this young woman could be…
"Is that a joke?" he said.
"No, it's a request."
His lips parted behind his collar into a pursed smile. He withdrew his right hand from its pocket. She offered her arm to him. He studied her a moment, then took it. They walked into the crowd of the lit street together, leaving Shibi, Ichi, and Ano staring at one another.
"Your brother just stole our friend." Ichi said flatly.
Shibi tilted his head and nodded in agreement, amused, "Or is it that your friend stole my oniichan?"
Tch, cute kid, Ano thought, "Come'on, let's follow before we lose them in the crowd."
They snuck through the people like you'd expect ninja to do, "Is he really your brother? You don't look especially alike." Ano looked at the young Aburame.
"Not by blood, no." He replied.
"Thought so," Ichi nodded.
"Got a name, kid?"
Shibi narrowed his eye wells at the way she said that, but replied, "Aburame Shibi."
They of course knew nothing of his being the heir to one of Konoha's four noble clans,
"Well Shibi-chan, your friend ever mention Hamitsu these past few years?"
"That's her name?" Shibi replied.
"So then that's a no?"
"No, I can say not."
"He's the strong silent type," Ano blinked purposefully.
"Hey look!" Ichi pointed.
The two had walked clear of the busy street and were now in a grassy knoll area under large oak trees wrapped in equally sized shimenawa ropes and gohei.
"You've…grown…" Hamitsu said with joking surprise. She had pretty much stopped growing, maxing out around 5' 4". Kuroji was nearly a foot taller than her. She looked so small compared to him, and he was only 16.
He nodded, "Some."
"Some?" She smirked.
There was a moment of lightheartedness but it soon faded to a more serious, contemplative air. It was indeed strange. They had had such a short encounter those years ago, with only visual meetings before that, and had parted on such bad terms….but now….randomly seeing each other again like this…unexpectedly…
Despite how much Kuroji was angry at her for how she humiliated him for her friends amusement, he had a lot of time to think those four years. After replaying that night in his head more times than he could count, he realized maybe he had been too hash on her. She did do it on a dare, to make fun of him, but then she had a good time and was sincere in the end. He never gave her the chance to explain herself fully. But he never once wished he could change what he did or said to her. It was what he felt was right. And when he did meet her again, which he hoped for truly…that he'd give her a chance to talk. One bad instance is not enough to end a friendship if you truly like that person.
She could only think about how childishly she had acted, and strove to right herself, determined to be more mature, more outgoing. In the back of her mind, it was all to prepare, for when she did meet him again. That she would show him up, show him what she'd become; show him how wrong he was.
"I never saw you at the training grounds again." Hamitsu said.
Kuroji didn't know how to reply.
"How did your training go after that?"
"I became a Jounin recently."
"Really? Then we're in the same rank."
He nodded.
"…maybe we'll be partnered together on a mission sometime."
He looked over at her, thinking to himself I'd really love that. She looked like a real lady, wearing her decorative black and plum Kimono with her usually wild (like he remembered it) blood-red hair done up in small spikey bun….but could only say out loud in his usual tone, "Perhaps."
She was feeling more bold, "So, how do I look?"
He moved his head inside his collar.
"Well?"
"You look nice."
She felt a blush creep across her face, even though the answer was coaxed out of him, he sounded sincere. She knew he would have said something like 'alright' or 'passable' in a dry tone if he had thought she did not look nice, "You look good too." She replied just as sincerely.
"What are they saying?" Ano whispered, craning her neck around Ichi, who was over Shibi, all three of them hiding behind a tree.
"Hamitsu's back is to us so I can't read her lips, and tall boy there has a damn collar in the way."
"You're useless." She adjusted herself, and over-corrected her weight distribution so she fell forward a bit, ending up catching herself against Shibi's gourd.
"Please be careful," Shibi turned around quickly and frowned. Ano was startled by his already slanty eyebrows actually becoming slantier, and a strange churrring that came from the round object.
"S…sorry," She blinked.
Ichi became interested after a bit of a pause, "What's your gourd for kid?"
Shibi groaned, if she calls me kid one more time… "It's a clan technique. It's a home for more of my insects."
"Oh, you mean more of those destruction bugs your clan uses, right?"
"That's correct."
"I hope Hamitsu remembers he's got those too," Ano pointed at the two standing together a few trees down.
"She knows."
"But does she KNOW?" Ano emphasized.
"…you know, I'm not sure about that." Ichi blinked, her voice quieting.
"…personally for me, I think dating someone who's a living hive would be a bit out of my comfort zone." Ano looked down at Shibi with a nervous smile, "No offense."
"At least you're honest, I respect that…" Shibi sighed, and looked back over at Kuroji and Hamitsu, who were suddenly gone.
"Where did they go?!" Ano squawked, "Ichi were you looking?!"
"No!"
"You ARE useless."
This is turning out to be an interesting birthday present…Shibi smirked to himself.
…
"You're telling me you've never had hishimochi?" Hamitsu laughed, Kuroji holding the pastel green, white and pink rice-cake pastry-on-a-stick in his hand like it was an alien device. Its three tiers of ricecakes were formed into spherical balls.
"Not that I can recall." He looked at it suspiciously. Why did I agree to try one too when she bought these?
"It's sweet, try it."
"…" He watched her bite into it.
"See? Not poison. It's just mashed up rice."
Are you sure about that? He thought, eyeing the funny coloration.
Is he being really cute or is it just me?... "Go on." She coaxed.
He unbuttoned the top two clasps of his coat and gingerly tried it. It WAS indeed sweet…but good.
The crowds were thinning, as they were reaching the edge of the center of the village where the festival was.
Hamitsu felt herself blushing again. She hadn't been able to see all of his face before, as he was so much taller and with the collar from her angle it blocked pretty much all of it. But now…she was able to….and she rather liked what she saw. She had not forgotten about the mysterious tattoos…and seeing their small red swirls as the disappeared down his neck past where she could see…she always did wonder how far…they went down…
Hamitsu…! She felt her mind yelling at herself. Such naughty thoughts! You haven't seen Kuroji in four years…
Which makes such thoughts the more eager to be made….she replied to herself.
Kuroji didn't want to admit to himself how happy he was to see Hamitsu again. She was one of the few people he ever befriended outside the clan. And the only outsider he felt really comfortable with. He couldn't describe why…..he just….was. And seeing her now she was much more grown up than four years ago, he no longer felt her childish. She really did seem to take his words to heart. He respected her, for changing for the better.
She really was a woman now…a very beautiful woman.
They found themselves stopped and looking at one another, hands against the other in some kind of loose embrace. Things may have gone farther, but a small black beetle flew past Kuroji's nose, a beetle that was not his, and he abruptly remembered something very important.
You promised Gen-sama you'd keep an eye on Shibi!
He looked over at the kikai bug, Hamitsu followed his gaze. She heard it make a small, high-pitched sound. Kuroji seemed to be listening as if to a person. He tensed up suddenly.
"Hamitsu," He said with worry.
"What is it?" She blinked.
"Shibi-sama, I promised I'd keep an eye on him…" his mouth twisted into an expression of guilty anger.
"Shibi?"
He started to dart swiftly back towards the festival, steadily picking up pace, she kept with him, ninja instincts kicking in. They were soon up on a rooftop looking down on the crowds.
"The boy I was with."
"Is he your brother?"
"Might as well be."
"Ah, I see."
"…"
"Well, he shouldn't be too hard to pick out in a crowd." She looked around.
Kuroji looked over at her, "Thank you…for helping." He sighed.
"I shouldn't have been so selfish to steal you like that."
He smiled gently when she wasn't looking.
"Where is he?" He asked Shibi's kikai bug silently. It flew down and he followed it with his gaze.
"Over there!" she pointed, as she followed where he was looking as well.
They jumped down. Ano and Ichi were crouched next to Shibi who was on the ground. A few worried onlookers were gathered around.
"There you two are!" They sighed, but they couldn't be too mad because they were just happy they were back, especially for Kuroji as they were worried for the young Aburame.
"He just suddenly fainted." Ichi said with worry.
"We didn't know what to do…." Ano said.
Just then two medical nin dressed in their white high collared coats and hoods came up, "We got a call? Someone fainted?"
"We called," Ichi stood up.
"Gen-sama's son," one of the men muttered, recognizing Shibi.
"It's alright, he'll be fine," Kuroji kneeled down and picked the boy up in his arms. He handed the gourd to Hamitsu, who was unsure at first but took it by the strap as Kuroji seemed that it was alright, "I'll take him home."
The lead medical nin was going to ask if he was sure the boy didn't need to go to the hospital, but he knew Aburame's….they usually handled their sick amongst themselves unless it was a heavy medial emergency. They were also…complicated to treat. The medical teams at Konoha hospital usually didn't know what to do with them or would have a lot of trouble. So if a fellow clan member was telling him the boy was fine, he believed him.
"Alright, take care then," He gave a nod, and they walked off.
"I'm sorry," Kuroji said to Hamitsu.
"I'll walk you home." She said.
Kuroji quickly walked off in the direction for home, the girls following. Ano was about to ask why Shibi fainted, as Kuroji seemed to know something she didn't…when Hamitsu spoke up,
"What is this?" There was a strange tingling in her arm that was holding the gourd's strap. She could feel her chakra being drawn to the surface of her skin.
"The kid said he kept 'extra insects' in it." Ichi whispered.
"It's a kikaichu gourd." Kuroji said flatly.
"The insects your clan uses?" Hamitsu asked, but in a way that she knew the answer.
"Yes."
She looked at it again, she knew the Aburame clan were insect users, but she didn't know all the specifics…"So there are insects in here?"
"Shibi-sama just got it recently, it's barely a third full."
"Wait….sama?" Ichi blinked.
"Shibi is Gen-dono's son. Our clan leader."
Ichi and Ano's faces fell. They instantly felt embarrassed about how they had talked and treated Shibi. Kuroji couldn't see as he was in front of them and not looking back as he talked. Hamitsu was now deathly fascinated by the gourd. She reached out to touch the interesting large cork in its top.
"I wouldn't," Kuroji said to her, somehow seeing her actions without his head being turned towards her.
She stopped.
"Your arm must be tingling, yes?"
"How'd you know?" She said carefully.
"They can sense your chakra, surely you must feel some of it being drained away?"
"…now that you mention it." She replied.
"If you made skin contact with the gourd, they might get greedy and take what they could of your chakra. So unless you want to get lightheaded and faint like Shibi-sama did, I'd be careful."
She looked a bit insulted, and worried she'd made him angry.
"I wouldn't want you getting hurt," he added at the end in a quiet voice.
She secretly smiled.
Kuroji stopped, in front of them was a long fence with even larger bamboo doors for a gate. It was obviously an ichizoku gate, like that of the Akimichi, Hyuga, Uchiha, Inzuka, Nara. Hamitsu had never seen the Aburame clan's home before. It was in the far corner of the village, the quiet East side, near the Eastern forest, away from all the usual shops and stores, so it was not something you'd walk by casually.
Kuroji would have his kikaichu open the doors for him, but for some reason asked, "Could you open the door, Hamitsu?"
"Of course!" She seemed to startle a bit, she was stopped for a moment to study the well kempt clan entrance.
She pushed open one of the large bamboo gate's big doors, they were almost twice her height. Ichi and Ano hung together outside. Kuroji offered his arm and she slung the gourd's strap around it. She was about to turn to leave herself and say goodnight….expecting Kuroji to want to tend to the aid of his comrade…when…
Kuroji then made a bold move.
He didn't want to, after not seeing her for so long, having such a nice evening together…leave Hamutsu like this.
He said not turning to her, "Would you come with me?"
Hamitsu stared at him for a moment. To be invited to the home of another was a personal thing, especially when it came to the private clans who didn't just let in outsiders casually. She felt a bit over her head…but could not say no. She of course wanted to…
Hamitsu, Ichi and Ano exchanged hugs and said goodnight. Hamitsu closed the bamboo doors behind her. Her nervousness heightened the sound of the latch closing, and it seemed to echo deeply, like the closing of doors in a tomb, with a foreboding feeling attached to it. And once it was closed, it was like the outside world disappeared, and she was in a totally different place when she turned around.
Trees and plants were nothing new to a Konoha villager, and these trees were not even anywhere near as large as those in the forest outside the village walls, but there was something about the grove she was following Kuroji through. There was something unique, and special. Her attention was not allowed to focus too much, because they walked into a clearing, revealing a cluster of houses hidden amongst the trees.
Kuroji walked towards one of the houses on the right, and motioned. Hamitsu opened the door for him.
When they walked inside there was a smartly dressed man sitting in the living room reading a newspaper. He peeked over the paper upon hearing the sound of them coming in. Despite seeing Hamitsu, he didn't take the time to grab his sunglasses on the table next to him, he just cared about checking on Shibi.
"What happened?" Gen said with stern worry, darting up to Kuroji.
"He fainted. It must have been from chakra strain."
"You sound unsure." Gen raised an eyebrow.
Kuroji faltered.
"YOU were supposed to be watching him." Gen pointed at him, then turned to Hamitsu, who was already slightly gawking trying to figure out what was with his eyes, but now almost jumped with surprise when he abruptly turned to look right at her, "And who is THIS outsider I've never seen before?"
Gen was not hating of 'outsiders', but being a bit angry seeing that Kuroji wasn't doing his duty, he sounded rather incriminating. The fact Hamitsu had never seen an Aburame sunglasses-less didn't help either, not that she got a clear look at Gen; the lighting in the room was fairly dim.
"She's a friend. I needed help bringing Shibi-sama back."
Gen frowned. Hamitsu swallowed. She was frozen like a rabbit being circled by a lion, a state she wasn't used to being in. This must be their clan leader, since he said Shino is the leader's son. She then swallowed her pride and humbly said,
"I…I'm very sorry," She bowed deeply, "I didn't mean to intrude."
Gen studied her.
She stared right back.
Kuroji watched them both carefully.
Just then there was a small moan and a stirring from Shibi. They all looked over. Kuroji bent down at the knees and gently let him down. Gen helped him stand up.
"Are you okay?" Gen said.
"Mmm…" He held his forehead, "My head hurts."
"You should rest," his father pointed a finger towards the stairs.
Kuroji handed Shibi his gourd, and he slowly, not looking quite awake, went upstairs. There was a sound of a door opening and closing, before the room was unsettlingly silent.
"I knew it was too early for him to be running around," Gen shook his head.
"He was fine until 20 minutes ago."
"It can come on suddenly," Gen turned towards him, "You know that." There was another unsettling silence, "Well, you were there for him when it mattered…so……I forgive you. However, next time don't let pretty women distract you, Kuroji-san. I may not be so forgiving." He smirked very subtly, then bowed goodnight, and went upstairs himself.
Kuroji let out a held breath.
Outside again in the cool night air, under the moonlight and fireflies, Kuroji put a hand on Hamitsu's shoulder, "Don't mind Gen-sama…he was in a bad mood because he was cross with me. I invited you in; there is nothing wrong with that. You're not out of place."
Hamitsu nodded, heart pounding a in her chest still. She avoided looking at Kuroji. She was just concerned she had embarrassed him in some way, or even dishonored him, she felt out of place, even if Kuroji said she was not.
There was a pause, which the crickets gladly filled in.
She looked pensive, "I didn't…disgrace you in some way, did I?"
He almost let out a small laugh, but that wasn't the kind of thing for him to do, "No, you did not."
She finally took his words for their meaning and let her guilt slip away. So the other thing that was bothering her mind came to her attention…"Kuroji-san…I have to ask…was there something strange about Gen-sama's eyes?"
Kuroji figured that was coming.
Despite only conversing with Hamitsu for about a total of two days their entire lives, he knew she wasn't the kind of person who liked things sugarcoated, and the kind of person uneasily shaken. He himself had had enough of drawing out niceties.
So he reached up and removed his sunglasses.
Hamitsu blinked and stared for moment, seeing his face for the first time. The quickly saw whatever was strange about Gen-sama's eyes, it was similar in appearance to Kuroji's. As she leaned in closer, squinting, she reached up and pulled him down by the collar so he was at eye level with her. He was taken aback by her actions but was not surprised she did it. She kept leaning in closer and closer, far past Kuroji's comfort zone, until he had to stop her with a hand on her shoulder and a sideways expression as she pushed her away carefully,
"Any closer you'll be IN my coat,"
She by this point had clearly seen he HAD no eyes whatsoever, that the blackness was really a void, and not that his eyes were black colored.
"How do you SEE?" She said; as if the fact he had no eyes wasn't the part that shocked her.
He pursed his lips, "We see through the kikaichu's eyes."
"Destruction bugs, those are the chakra-eating insects your clan uses." She said knowingly.
He nodded.
She tilted her head, and gave him an 'alrrriggghtt" look.
"You must know of our clan's techniques."
"Contrary to popular belief, the inner workings of the many clans in Konoha are not common knowledge to every ninja."
He took that as a no.
"So, enlighten me." She coaxed.
He found it a little surprising that she had no idea about their clan technique yet knew about them being insect users and what insects they used. But as she said, the inner workings of clans were not common knowledge for all shinobi. She probably never had a mission with an Aburame, so she never had to do research to know about who she would be working with.
He felt bold and unafraid around her. It seemed nothing phased her, so he calmly offered his hand out to her. Hamitsu looked at it, then took it. Interested by what he was doing, she watched him carefully, and pleased to be touching his hand of course. She then waited for him to do something, whatever it was he was showing her. But as he stood silent and still she was about to ask him, "okay, are you going to tell me or not" she felt a movement under her fingertips and palm. The skin near the visible tendons of his fingers on the back of his hand buckled up in one spot, revealing a small black beetle who came up out of his skin. She watched, utterly curious and wondering why or how he did that. It flexed its wings, bringing up its wing covers, and then proceeded to clean its antennae.
"Is that a kikaichu? I've never seen one in person."
"Yes. They are rarely found in the wild anymore."
"They….are pretty dangerous, aren't they?" She gave him a sideways look of 'should I be this close to this thing?'
He smiled, "He won't do anything to you, trust me."
The kikaichu bug was soon joined by a few of its brethren, crawling out of the same tear in his skin. They crawled up onto her hand. Quite happy to investigate her.
"Is that trick part of your jutsu, or are they…..really coming out from under your skin?" She'd seen some crazy ninjutsu and summons in her time that looked like many things, but were usually nothing more than illusions and molded chakra.
"It's not a 'trick'…it is what it look like." He blinked at her.
"Heh, do that again."
He widened his eyes, and raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"Sorry," She smiled, and giggled in a womanly fashion.
She's a weird one alright, he thought.
She then stuck her hand up his sleeve, he flinched away because it tickled, "What are you doing?"
"Sit STILL!" She almost ordered.
He sighed, and allowed her too continue.
She felt her hand along his arm, thinking…Then piped up, "Woah, they really are under your skin aren't they?"
"My body is a nest for them, yes."
"A nest…"
"People like to call us is 'living hives'…but the kikaichu are our partners. We have their companionship and protection, in exchange for a little chakra and a bit of space. It is a mutualistic relationship. The same way a nin-dog is a the other half of an Inzuka; they are merely an extension of ourselves."
Hamitsu absorbed his weighty words, and smiled. He was being open with her. There was nothing more she loved in the world than honesty and straightforwardness. She was longer was tentative and quietly respectful. Playful Hamitsu was back out again, and in force.
"Thank you." She smiled in a way Kuroji saw unique to her. She pulled her hand up and cupped the few kikaichu in her hands, 'insect-napping' them, "Would you show me your favorite place to sit?" She said, walking towards the tree groves lit handsomely by moonlight.
Kuroji would have pouted if that was something he did, but after his moment of 'you just stole my kikaichu' he followed her.
He showed her an oak tree, and Kuroji was about to put his glasses back on as they were sitting under it, but she reached out, "Oh, please leave them off."
He paused, then put them in his pocket.
"You wear them because people would be scared." She said.
"Most people would consider it a bit creepy, yes."
"Tch, most people are too easily offended." She adjusted her posture.
"You're not most people Hamitsu," He said under his breath. She heard it though.
There was a pause of silence where they listened to the night sounds again.
"Can I have my kikaichu back?"
She felt them squirming up against the underside of her closed fingers, it felt weird, but she resisted against their nudging, hoping they wouldn't bite her, "Ransom."
"Excuse me?"
"Kiss me."
"…"
"Is that too high a price?"
"…No."
She put her hands up in front of her face, and opened them. The kikaichu flew back to their master with a small noise, flying into his collar.
"Pay up." She put her finger to her lips.
Kuroji paused, feeling his kikaichu buzz once in a wave like motion as a wash of emotion charged chakra flooded through his system. She was glad they were sitting, because if they were not she would have to have stood on tip toe to encourage him, as he inevitably would have to lean over for her to reach. But how they were sitting it was not too hard for her to get to his face. He put his hands on her shoulders as he relaxed his lips.
She swore she could feel him quivering, or something, as if her lips were being passed by a buzzing bee. She pushed into the kiss, quite enjoying it. He, since this was his first kiss, let her do as she pleased; she seemed to have experience with this sort of thing. He hoped his kikaichu's odd buzzing was not too apparent to her…he had never felt them do something like that before…it was like he was not in total control… something he was not used to…
Her lips are so soft…he thought.
Hamitsu inched closer and leaned up against his arm and shoulder as she fell out of the kiss, making herself comfortable. Kuroji allowed her to, she was warm….it felt rather nice. She liked the soft fabric his coat was made from; she nuzzled her cheek against it a bit. Now with her ear flat against his arm, she could then hear though it, like how once you place your entire ear against a persons chest you can make out the heartbeat or stomach quite clearly where as usually it's impossible to hear. The best way to describe the noise would be 'insect', the kind of sound you expect to hear from a bunch of beetles if you piled them in a box so they crawled over one another. A small 'scratching'; the flutter of tiny feet and hard wing covers.
Hamitsu had known about the Aburame's love of insects. But she had not known the chakra-eating destruction bugs lived inside their bodies, till a few minutes ago. Sitting there listening, random questions about it ran through her bold-thinking mind. How many were under his skin in his arm alone, cause it sounded like a lot…did they go deeper, like into the muscle tissue? How do they do that without it hurting? Do they even go to the extremes of his body like the fingertips…or toes? Could you feel them moving over tendons or bone? …
What must that feel like?
Understandably, she began to get a creepy crawly chill through her body as she involuntarily imagined herself into the equation, if she had kikaichu living inside her.
Kuroji felt her quiver in a small jerk. "You can't be cold."
"Oh, no I'm fine." She paused, "I was just listening to the sound all those beetles make."
"Were you?" He blinked.
"Well, my head was leaning on your shoulder."
"Ah," He nodded, "…..what did it sound like to you?"
She shifted her position, "Like a bunch of beetles."
"That's very descriptive."
"I can't think of any other good way to describe it."
"…"
"Hey….Kuroji-san, would it be too personal if I asked you to tell me about…what they feel like? Because…I guess I'm having a hard time picturing it, and I hate not understanding something that shouldn't be so complicated." She pouted cutely.
He had to smile a little at her expression, "Well, I'd say it's certainly not simple."
"Mmm?"
"The relationship we have with the kikaichu."
She watched intently for more of his reply.
"But….to answer your question….what it feels like?" He paused to think, "I've had them with me since I was four, they are a part of me. Do you think about the feeling of your heart beating, or your lungs expanding and contracting?"
"…not really…" she said back expectedly, "But sometimes I do feel or notice those things."
He nodded.
"…"
"…"
"So it doesn't hurt?"
He was beginning to tire slightly of all her questions, mostly because he felt rather exposed and embarrassed by the things she as making him say to her, "Are you writing an encyclopedia?"
She frowned, and turned away.
Kuroji looked over at her, and paused, letting out a sigh…before carefully speaking again, "I said that wrong."
"You think I'm noisy don't you?"
"No…you're just inquisitive…"
"I AM," She looked back at him, her tone no longer quick or angry…it was something else, "And I only ask and inquire about things and people I am severely fascinated by," She made sure to point those purple eyes right at him as she brought up her hand close to his face, about to caress the back of her hand against him.
He grabbed her wrist.
She parted her lips and breathed out.
That heartbeat that shouldn't be apparent suddenly was.
"Stay," he said. She wasn't sure if it was an order or a request.
Before they knew it, they were fervently making out and stripping one another on Kuroji's spacious living room couch. It was not a matter of thinking, just doing. He paused only for a moment,
"Don't stop," she voiced.
The buzzing under his skin became evident. She had heard them and seen them, but now… their movement, she could feel it under his skin with her own hands, legs….breasts…she could feel him everywhere as now their bare skin was touching each others' fully. She felt she should be disgusted by that feeling, but the vibration and the slight movement was just increasing her arousal. She felt herself becoming even hotter and falling deeper under his mercy. She was often the one in control in situations like these, but for now, she liked him 'claiming' her like this.
She as so enjoying herself she failed to notice another sensation against her skin. Only when a few insects crawled up onto her face near her lips, nose and ears, so that she could see and hear their small noises, did she become aware of it. There were many of the little kikaichu insects scattered about. Flying in the air, crawling over the bed, her, and his skin. Kuroji paused, just becoming aware of it as well…and said into her neck,
"I did not…notice they had come out," He seemed surprised in tone.
"I hadn't noticed them either, funny enough," she said, not stopping.
"They are just…'exploring' you… naturally, they are rather curious of you. I've never…they have never had a situation quite like this."
It took a few moments for her mind to register and process his statement,
"Are you telling me you're virgin?!" She sat up suddenly, stopping dead in her tracks.
He blinked, breathing. He felt a hand through his hair, realizing it was down, wondered when that occurred….then replied to her, "In not so many words, yes."
"She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head to the side, "Heh…I've been with one or two guys before …you didn't seem like someone inexperienced…" she smirked, "You seem to know what you are doing."
"I'll….take that as a compliment."
"Please do."
The insects buzzed slightly, making their small and cute characteristic sccrreeeee sound.
"They feel interesting," the beetles; the sensation of them crawling on my skin…it kind of tickles…
"We have always thought so, but most humans are not comfortable with the feeling of an insect crawling on their skin."
"But youlike it?"
"We are far beyond the tickle of beetle's small feet on ones arm. I am not sure what you mean by 'do we like it'….it is part of our way of life, our nindo, our tradition."
"What I mean is…do you find it pleasurable?"
He cured up a corner of his mouth, "I'd say most…if not all Aburame's, do in some situations, as you put it, find their sensation's pleasurable."
"Kuroji," She bit her lip, "I want you to show me what you think is congenial….show me pleasure."
He leaned over her, and she gripped his long torso with her thighs, pulling him closer. She pulled his splayed open jacket off his shoulders, and he helped her the rest of the way, taking it off and discarding it to a chair with the rest of their clothing. She stared for a moment at the markings, now all exposed to her for the first time. She traced her hand over the swirly red tattoos. They go down as far as your hips, she thought…interesting …She could feel his insects jumping under his skin as she moved her finger along each swirl. She leaned up and began doing the same with her tongue. Kuroji couldn't believe what she was doing…and unconsciously let out a soft moan; she had such a gentle yet very forceful manner.
"These must have a function; you don't seem like the type for tattoos like this for the sake of vanity," she said against his skin, not stopping.
"They are…for my work…"
She pulled him down on top of her, "They are pretty."
"Thank you, I suppose." He was looking to be a little distracted from what she was doing, understandability.
"Touch me," She whispered into his ear, in a tone of a superior giving an order.
He licked his lips in one motion, finding his hands running up her exposed torso smoothly. She had such soft skin. It from first glance seemed to be burnt from the torture of the sun over the years, but in reality it was just her natural skin tone; she just had mocha-crème-colored skin. He loved how she felt. Being a fulltime ninja she was toned muscle wise, but was still a woman, and her body would go from taught firmness in places like her calves or stomach, to the softness of her sides, breasts, and inner thigh. Her breasts were a perfect size to fit your hand over.
He was almost three years younger than her, but he sure didn't seem like it to Hamitsu, in body or mind. Hamitsu had been with other men before, she liked her one-night-stands and overnight flings. She enjoyed physical touch and the thrill of exploring another human being. But never had she wanted a certain man this badly. The mystery of his mind had been somewhat revealed to her, but she wanted the body with it, she wanted to explore that part as well. She had asked herself…How far down did those tattoos go? What would it be like having sex with a man whose body was a living hive to a million insects? Would it make any difference? Would I…enjoy it? She found herself scared that she was so eager, like something was wrong with her. Shouldn't I be more tentative? Any other woman in your place would be having second, third, or fourth thoughts about this. But not you…you can hardly wait. From the moment you learned that fact about him, it made you want to get him more.
You're a freak, she thought, not that you didn't already know that, but you are not only a freak, you're broken. There is something seriously wrong with you. Once you go this far, once you go over that edge there is no coming back. It is something you'll have to live with the rest of your life. Maybe you'll lose that last shred of your sanity. Maybe he'll steal it from you. He's already stolen one part from you, he could keep taking pieces, shards of you…until you are nothing but a reflection burned into those glasses of his…
However, by the time the sun was dawning…
…she found she was still there.
…
…
…
Long chapter, worth the wait I think ;) .
Next chapter will conclude our flashback and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Aburame Ichizoku.